Brighton group Joins Olive Harvest Campaign in Palestine
28.10.2008 17:59 | Anti-militarism | Palestine | South Coast
A delegation of eight people from Brighton arrived in the Tubas region of occupied Palestine last week. The delegation is part of the project by the Brighton-Tubas Friendship and Solidarity Group. The group's aims are to highlight Israeli war crimes against Palestinians in the region, raise awareness about life under occupation and create practical solidarity links between grassroots organisations in Brighton and Tubas region. Members of the delegation are currently visiting the threatened village of Al Masra to assist them with their olive harvest.
On Tuesday 28th the group was attacked by a group of Israeli settlers who proceeded to steal olives from the farmers the group was accompanying. One of the settlers was the same man who had murdered a teenage boy in the village earlier this year.
Delegation Report Back Meeting at 7pm at the Friends Meeting House, Ship St, Brighton
Reports from the Brighton Tubas Group: One Day the Chains Must be Broken| IDF shoot man in El Far'a refugee camp| Land Confiscation in Atoof | Living in the Shadow of Al Hamra | Struggle for Survival in Al Hadidya | Ethnic Cleansing in Al Farisiya| Military repression in Atoof | Said Lataba – After 31 Years in Prison, Sends A Message of Peace and Humanity| Makhool; After Hadidya we are Next
Press Releases from the Brighton-Tubas Solidarity Group:Brighton Delegation Arrives in Palestine|Sussex University Students make Links with Palestinians Under Occupation|Brighton Delegation joins Olive Harvest in Al Masra| Brighton-Tubas delegation and Palestinian farmers attacked by Israeli settlers|Links: Jordan Valley Solidarity| Palestine Solidarity Campaign | International Solidarity Movement in Palestine | Boycott Israeli Goods Campaign | Stop the Wall in Palestine
A delegation from Brighton were violently attacked by Israeli settlers in Al Masra'a, a village in the Ramallah region of Occupied Palestine. The delegates were helping local farmers gather their olives in an area where they are frequently on the recieving end of settler violence.
Three settlers from the illegal Talmund-B settlement showed up and started punching two elderly Palestinian farmers. They also punched James from brighton in the back of the head as he was filming the incident.
The settler who punched James was identified by villagers as the man who, In February this year, shot dead an unarmed Palestinian teenager during a peaceful demonstration against the seige of Gaza by the Israeli Offense Force.
So far no arrest has been made for this unlawful killing.
Last year members of the Brighton Tubas Friendship and Solidarity Group attended a non violent demonstration on lands that had been stolen from the local villagers by the Israeli Army as a military training area. To the locals horror the Israeli army allowed Israeli settlers to plant crops on this land.
Under the three year rule any land left fallow for three years is automatically owned by the Israeli state, Even if the rightful owners of this land are prevented from access by the Israeli military.
During this demonstration where illegally planted crops, some bearing Tescos labels, were uprooted by the lawful landowners. Israeli settlers opened fire on unarmed with live ammunition. Three members of the delegation were arrested.
Despite these intimidatory tactics the group will continue to work in this area and campaign on the behalf Palestinians who face Israeli terrorism on a daily basis. To get involved or to find out if there is a similar group in your area contact: brightontubas@gmail.com
This is the fourth time a large delegation from Brighton has visited the Tubas region. The eight people on the delegation are part of the Brighton Tubas Friendship and Solidarity Group. Five members of the group are students at the University of Sussex which has twinned with Al Quds Open University in Tubas.
Homepage:
http://www.brightonpalestine.org